BIOL113-18S1 (C) Semester 1, 2018 Diversity of Life Course description Lectures, labs and tutorials Learn (Moodle) - learn.canterbury.ac.

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1 School of Biological Sciences Course outline BIOL113-18S1 (C) Semester 1, 2018 Diversity of Life EFTS, 15 Points 19 Feb Jun 2017 Course description This course provides an overview of the vast diversity of life on Earth. You will hear about the evolution, structure, function and importance of animals, plants and microbes. The first module of the course focuses on the diversity, reproduction and structure of plants. The second focuses on microorganisms whereas the third examines animals and includes discussion of animal diversity, respiration, circulation, excretion and water balance. Hands-on investigation of a variety of organisms in laboratory classes is an important part of the course. The course provides essential background material that all biologists need and is one of the three core biology courses (BIOL111, BIOL112, BIOL113) required to obtain a BSc majoring in Biological Science. Whenever possible, we will highlight connections among topics taught in these and other biology courses. Lectures, labs and tutorials This course is composed of 35 lectures, 6 labs, and 3 tutorials. Lab and tutorial attendance is compulsory. See below for information about lab and tutorial stream assignment and items that you need to purchase for the labs. Learn (Moodle) - learn.canterbury.ac.nz The Learn website is your home base for BIOL113 and other courses that you are taking at University of Canterbury. On the BIOL113 Learn pages, you will find the topics of each lecture, which textbook pages you need to read and how to prepare for each lecture and lab. Also the online quizzes can be found on Learn, as well as your marks for these quizzes and other items of assessment. PowerPoint projections and audio recordings of each lecture are available from EchoCenter in Learn. Check your UC regularly! From time to time, we will you information about various aspects of the course. These s will be sent to your UC address. Please check your daily. Questions? See below for information about the BIOL113 teaching team and who to approach if you have questions or need help or support. 1 of 7

2 Textbook Required text (available from the University Bookshop): Campbell, N.A. et al. (2017) Biology. A Global Approach, 11th Global Edition This textbook is used for the three core biology courses (BIOL111, BIOL112, and BIOL113). Both hard-copy and electronic versions are available. Should you choose not to buy it, some copies are available in the Central Library. Course assessment Item of assessment: When: Details: Location: Marks: 34 online lecture quizzes During the week following each After each lecture, you have a week to answer 5 online quiz Learn 10 lecture 3 laboratory tests At the end of tutorials 1, 2 & 3 Module 1 test (plant diversity) Module 2 test (microbial diversity) Module 3 test (animal diversity) (exam) questions about that lecture Your understanding of the topics addressed in labs 1-2, 3-4 & 5-6 will be tested during the last 30 min. of the associated tutorials Sat. 24 March 1 essay, 2 short answer and 20 multiple choice questions about lectures 1-12 and labs 1 & 2 Sat. 12 May 1 essay, 2 short answer and 20 multiple choice questions about lectures and labs 3 & 4 During Semester 1 exam week. Date to be 1 essay, 2 short answer and 20 multiple choice questions about lectures and labs 5 & 6 See your UC Timetable To be To be To be Total (8 per lab test) If you miss a lab test due to illness, injury, personal bereavement or other critical personal circumstances, you will need to contact the course coordinator with a note from your medical practitioner or other supporting evidence. When possible, arrangements will be made so that you can re-sit the lab test. If you miss one of the module tests or if you consider that your performance has been impaired, you should apply for Special Consideration for this assessment. See for more information. To achieve a passing grade in this course, you must achieve: -An average of at least 40% for the three module tests AND -An average of at least 40% for the combined lab tests and lecture quizzes AND -A total course average of at least 50%. If you fail to achieve the 40% minimum requirements, a grade of D (or E) will be awarded, even if your total score is greater than 50%. See below for more details and grade boundaries of 7

3 Information about lectures The lectures form the core of BIOL113, although they are not aimed at covering ALL topics of your textbook. Your lecturer will discuss and illustrate relevant topics from your textbook, introduce concepts that are not covered in the textbook and will ask questions to test your understanding. The lectures are also a great opportunity for you to ask questions. Detailed lecture notes will not be provided, because research shows that students retain information better by taking their own lecture notes. Taking good notes is therefore essential and will help you to identify the most important points of each lecture. Although PowerPoint projections and audio will be recorded, these recordings are not suitable as a substitute for attending lectures. You are expected to study the relevant textbook pages and other readings (outlined on Learn) before each lecture. The lectures have been developed to build on your understanding of the textbook chapters, so you will find that you will only understand the lectures sufficiently, if you study the textbook beforehand. Information about labs The laboratories (3 hours each) help you to develop your understanding of topics addressed in the lectures and textbook. In addition, they allow you to develop important practical skills and are a great opportunity to ask questions or get help from your lecturers. Lab attendance is compulsory. Before each lab, study the relevant textbook pages (outlined on Learn) and read the lab manual pages. Students who come to the labs unprepared typically struggle with finishing the lab exercises in time and passing the lab tests. Lab demonstrators will determine if you have completed all exercises when you leave the lab and will record your attendance. Make sure that you don t leave without showing your lab manual to one of the demonstrators! Please be advised that Labs 5 & 6 might involve dissecting animals. If you are seriously uncomfortable with this, you need to contact Dr Amy Osborne at the start of the course, so that alternative activities can be discussed. Information about tutorials In three 2-hour tutorials (one for each module), you will engage with the course content through group work. We will also provide some general academic skills training during these tutorials and a written test will take place during the last 30 minutes of each tutorial to test your understanding of the preceding labs. What are my lab and tutorial streams? Each lab and tutorial will be offered two or three times. You will choose your streams when you enrol in BIOL113. Contact the course coordinator (see below) if you have not been assigned to a stream. Lab manual The lab manual contains the lab exercises that you will be working on. You need to collect it from the Biology reception on the 2 nd floor of the Biology building during the first week of classes. What to buy for the labs The wearing of a laboratory coat is compulsory. Pay at the Copy Centre, which is in the James Hight building (Under Croft area). They will give you a receipt. Take this receipt to the counter at the Preparation Room of the Chemistry Department. There you can exchange your receipt for a laboratory coat. Disposable gloves are available in the laboratory for those who might need them. Missing a lab or tutorial? If a laboratory or tutorial is missed, arrangements should be made to attend another stream later in the week after contacting the lecturer responsible for the relevant lab or tutorial (see below). Due to logistic constraints, it is not possible to make up for a missed lab in the following weeks. Accidents during the lab All accidents in which a person is injured, no matter how slightly, must be reported to the laboratory instructor (see below) immediately. If any equipment is broken or not functioning, please report this to the laboratory instructor as well. 3 of 7

4 Who to go to - introducing the teaching team Course coordinator / Lecturer Lecturers The course coordinator is your go-to person if you have any problems or questions about this course: You can contact individual lecturers with questions about specific lectures and laboratories: Dr Pieter Pelser SBS2, Rm. 530 Pieter.pelser@canterbury.ac.nz (Pieter is also the Biology Undergraduate Advisor and can help you with course and study advice.) Dr Mitja Remus-Emsermann SBS2, Rm. 538 Mitja.remusemsermann@canterbury.ac.nz Dr Amy Osborne SBS2, Rm. 522 Amy.osborne@canterbury.ac.nz Dr John Pirker SBS2, Rm. 236 John.pirker@canterbury.ac.nz Lab coordinators You can approach the lab coordinators about questions regarding your labs: Ms Reijel Gardiner (labs 1 & 2) SBS2, Rm. 131 Reijel.gardiner@canterbury.ac.nz Mr Craig Galilee (labs 3 & 4) SBS2, Rm. 517 Craig.galilee@canterbury.ac.nz Mrs Jan McKenzie (labs 5 & 6) SBS2, Rm. 231 Jan.mckenzie@canterbury.ac.nz 4 of 7

5 Intended learning outcomes and associated assessment of BIOL113 Understanding of the diagnostic characters of major groups of organisms (assessment task: Learn quizzes, test, final exam) A working knowledge of the tree of life and an appreciation of the sometimes surprising evolutionary relationships amongst the organisms that comprise the diversity of life (assessment task: Learn quizzes, test, final exam) Awareness of the importance of various groups of organisms in ecological communities and to humans (assessment task: Learn quizzes, test, final exam) Hands-on experience in observing a wide range of organisms in the laboratory (assessment task: laboratory tests) Understanding different ways in which biodiversity is observed, studied and exploited (assessment task: laboratory tests, Learn quizzes, test, final exam) Skills register of BIOL113 Using dissection and compound microscopes. This is a skill required in advanced courses in biological sciences. Documenting biological observations in the form of notes and scientific illustrations. This skill is essential in many fields of biology. Using liquid and solid culture techniques. This practical skill is important for advancing in microbiology. Global awareness. Humans share the earth with an estimated 8.7 million other species. Being able to recognize the main groups in which they are classified enables making informed and environmentallyresponsible decisions. Synthesising information. In everyday life and in many jobs you will be required to read information from different sources, construct your own understanding and shape your own viewpoint. Evidence-based critical thinking. Being able to evaluate data, formulate and test hypotheses and use scientific evidence in decision-making is an important general skill. 5 of 7

6 RULES, REGULATIONS, AND WHAT TO DO WHEN THINGS GO WRONG [updated 24 June 2016] If in doubt: ASK! The course co-ordinator is happy to field questions at any time. All staff involved in the course are generally available for advice on specific issues. What do I do if I have to miss something or if my performance was impaired? If you feel that illness, injury, bereavement or other extenuating circumstances beyond your control have prevented you from completing an item of assessment worth 10% or more of total course assessment or if these circumstances affected your performance in such assessments, you should apply for Special Consideration. Applications for Special Consideration should be submitted via the Examinations Office website and notify the course co-ordinator within five days of the assessment or its due date. If this is for medical reasons you should visit a doctor within 24 hours of the assessment (application form available on-line or from the Student Health Centre). The Special Consideration provisions are intended to assist students who have covered the work of a course but have been prevented by illness or other critical circumstances from demonstrating their mastery of the material or skills at the time of assessment they do not excuse you from doing the assessment within a reasonable time agreed with the course coordinator. You should expect to be required to submit additional work if you miss a major assignment (e.g. a field trip for which a major write-up is required). In rare cases you may not be able to complete an assessment or attend a field trip, because of involvement in international or national representative sport or cultural groups. In such cases you should also apply for Special Consideration. Please review the Special Considerations policy because very few kinds of activities will be eligible for consideration (e.g. holiday trips, birthday parties etc. are not given special status in the University policy). Students prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing the course after the final date for withdrawing, may apply for Special Consideration for late discontinuation of the course. Applications must be submitted to the Examinations Office within five days of the end of the main examination period for the semester. For further details on Special Consideration applications, please refer to the Examinations Office website Plagiarism It is essential that you are aware that plagiarism is considered a very serious offence by the Academic community, the University and the School of Biological Sciences. Plagiarism is defined as taking content from another work or author and presenting it, without attribution, as if it is your own work. Content here includes text (sentences or major parts of sentences), display items (graphs and tables), and overall structure (the detailed sequence of ideas). Plagiarism includes: re-use of previous assignments (even if each individual sentence has been rephrased to say the same thing in different words, if the overall structure is re-used) copying of another student s work (with or without their consent) the unreferenced use of published material or material from the internet e.g. cutting and pasting of paragraphs or pages into an essay. For most pieces of in-term assessment you will be given information concerning the use of direct and indirect quotes from previously published work. If you are in any doubt about appropriate use of published material, please speak with a member of academic staff. If you are still unsure what plagiarism is, then seek advice. It is a School policy that courses may request you submit work electronically for subsequent analysis of originality using Turnitin. Students agree that by taking courses in BIOL, assessments may be submitted to Turnitin.com for textual similarity review. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site. Where do I hand in assignments and then collect them once marked? All assignments should be placed in the designated collection box in the foyer of the 2nd floor of the School of Biological Sciences (near the main office), unless directed otherwise by the course co-ordinator. All assignments must be accompanied by a cover sheet signed by you stating that the submitted work is not plagiarised. Cover sheets are available on top of the collection boxes, or you can download one from the Biology website (under Undergraduate). In addition, you may also be asked to submit your work electronically (via Learn) for analysis in Turnitin. You will be given instructions on how to do this in the assignment handout. Marked assignments can be collected from the Secretaries' Office, unless directed otherwise by the course co-ordinator. Teaching staff will endeavour to return work as soon as possible, and should contact you if there are likely to be any delays that will prevent return within the maximum 4-week timeframe. 6 of 7

7 What if I can t get it finished in time? Reports and assignments should be handed in on time. Extensions may be granted if you have a valid reason. If you require an extension, you should request one from the course co-ordinator (or the lecturer responsible for marking the work), with as much notice as possible. Please do this BEFORE the deadline for the assignment. If you have been given an extension you should hand the work DIRECTLY to the course coordinator (do not put it in the drop box as it may not be cleared after the due date). If an extension has not been granted: work must be handed in by the due date to gain full credit work handed in up to 7 days after the deadline will be marked, but the marks will be discounted 25% before they are recorded to the student's credit any work handed in more than 7 days after the deadline date will not be marked or earn credit. What if I have written more than the word or page limit? If there is a word limit on an assignment, it is usually there to stop you doing too much work and to encourage you to write succinctly. It also makes things easier to assess. You can be up to 10% over without too much worry, but if the length increases beyond that your mark may suffer due to failure to follow the requirements. If you find yourself way over the word limit talk to the lecturer concerned about how to get your assignment to an acceptable length. What if I fail part of the course? In BIOL, we require a satisfactory level of achievement in both the theoretical aspects of the discipline and in practical activities. This means you must attend all class activities and submit all items of assessment unless you have a very good reason not to (e.g. medical reasons). A student must attain an average score of at least 40% for in-course assessments (e.g. assignments, reports) and an average score of at least 40% in the exam and/or test, AND score at least 50% overall for the course, to be awarded a passing grade. See course outline for clarification of the assessment items included in each category and ask the coordinator if you are still unsure. What s the best way to give feedback? We welcome constructive feedback at all times help us to make this a valuable course for you. We endeavour to remain approachable at all times. If you would rather give feedback anonymously, please use the on-line course survey or talk to lab demonstrators, or your class rep (who will all report back to the staff-student liaison committee that includes a representative from each of the undergraduate classes). Class representatives will be selected from each class at the start of course. What s the best way to complain? If you feel you have not been fairly treated during this course, please raise the issue with the lecturer or course co-ordinator in the first instance. Other avenues include your class rep., who can raise issues anonymously, or the UCSA education coordinator. Grading A+ 90% or above A A B B B C C C A restricted pass (R) may be awarded to those who are close to a pass (i.e. an overall score of %) AND who have achieved at least a 40% overall score in both in-course assessment and tests/exams. If an R grade is awarded you gain credit for the course but cannot continue into papers that require this course as a pre-requisite. NB. The R grade is only available at 100 and 200 level - it cannot be awarded for third year papers. Failing grades: D E of 7